Tony Maher
Encyclopedia
Tony Maher is an Irish
retired sportsperson. He played hurling
with his local club St. Finbarr's
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1975.
in 1945. He was educated at Greenmount School and later attended the famous Coláiste Chríost Rí where he developed a great talent for hurling. Maher worked as a textile dyer after leaving school, before spending some time employed by the Ford Motor Company
and later the Office of Public Works
.
club on the south side of Cork city, a club where he enjoyed much success during a career which spanned three decades. He won his first county senior championship
winners' medal in 1965 following 'the Barr's' 6-8 to 2-5 defeat of UCC
. The club later represented Cork in the provincial club series and even reached the final. A 3-12 to 2-3 defeat of Waterford's Mount Sion gave Maher a coveted Munster
club winners' medal.
After St. Finbarr's lost the 1967 county final to Glen Rovers
, the club bounced back to reach the championship decider again the following year. A remarkable 5-9 to 1-19 defeat of divisional side Imokilly
gave Maher a second county championship title.
After an absence of six years St. Finbarr’s were back at the top of the local hurling world again in 1974 following a defeat of Blackrock
. It was Maher's third county championship title. Once again the 'Barr’s' were the Cork representatives in the provincial club championship and reached the final. Newmarket-on-Fergus were the opponents on that occasion; however, the game was a poor one. A 0-7 to 0-3 victory gave Maher his second Munster club title. The subsequent All-Ireland club final on St. Patrick’s weekend saw St. Finbarr’s take on the Fenians of Kilkenny. St. Finbarr’s ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 victory. It was Maher's first All-Ireland
club title.
In 1977 Maher collected a fourth county championship title following a victory over north side rivals and reigning champions Glen Rovers
. Once again St. Finbarr’s reached the Munster club final where Clare champions Sixmilebridge
provided the opposition. An interesting game developed, however, St. Finbarr's were the easy winners by 2-8 to 0-6. It was Maher's third Munster club medal. He later lined out in the subsequent All-Ireland club final. Rathnure
, the Wexford and Leinster champs, were the opponents. The first-half was a disaster for St. Finbarr’s as a gale-force wind resulted in the Cork side trailing by 0-8 to 0-1. The second thirty minutes saw St. Finbarr's take control with Jimmy Barry-Murphy
scoring the deciding goal. A 2-7 to 0-9 victory gave Maher a second All-Ireland club winners' medal.
In 1980 Maher was in the autumn of his club hurling career. In spite of this he secured a fifth county title following a two-point win over Glen Rovers. A fourth Munster club winners' medal quickly followed after a 2-12 to 1-14 defeat of Roscrea
. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Maher's St. Finbarr's side against Ballyhale Shamrocks
. Maher's side were beaten on that occasion. Shortly afterwards he brought the curtain down on his club hurling career.
In retirement from the game Maher's service to the St. Finbarr's club has been described as exceptional. He became chairman of the club during a very successful period between 1987 and 1996. He later served as secretary of the club.
medal with "the Barr's." At inter-county level he progressed onto the under-21 side and won an All-Ireland Under-21
medal in 1966. A second Cork County Championship medal followed in 1968, the same year he made his debut for the Cork senior hurling team in the National Hurling League
.
In 1969 Maher won his very first NHL medal, before later claiming his first Munster Championship
medal. However, Cork lost to Kilkenny
in the All-Ireland final. Cork were back in 1970, with Maher winning his second NHL and Munster titles, as well as his only senior All-Ireland medal
. In 1971 Maher's hurling skills were honoured when he was an All-Star Award
-winner. In turn, he got the honour of becoming Cork's first ever all-star winner . His team-mate Ray Cummins
was also honoured. Another Munster title followed in 1972, however, Cork were defeated yet again by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. He also collected his second All-Star award. Another National League title followed in 1974, before Maher claimed a third Cork County Championship medal with St. Finbarr's. This victory allowed Maher to go on and win a Munster club title, before winning his first All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
medal in early 1975. He won his fourth and final Munster title in 1975, bring his senior inter-county career to an end. He continued to play club hurling with St. Finbarr's, winning two more County Championships in 1977 and 1980, and an All-Ireland club title in 1978. His last game for St. Finbarr's was the 1981 All-Ireland club final, which they lost.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
retired sportsperson. He played hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with his local club St. Finbarr's
St. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1975.
Biography
Tony Maher was born in CorkCork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
in 1945. He was educated at Greenmount School and later attended the famous Coláiste Chríost Rí where he developed a great talent for hurling. Maher worked as a textile dyer after leaving school, before spending some time employed by the Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and later the Office of Public Works
Office of Public Works
The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...
.
Club
Maher played his club hurling with the famous St. Finbarr'sSt. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
club on the south side of Cork city, a club where he enjoyed much success during a career which spanned three decades. He won his first county senior championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
winners' medal in 1965 following 'the Barr's' 6-8 to 2-5 defeat of UCC
UCC GAA
UCC is a football and hurling club associated with University College Cork. UCC teams play in the Cork Senior Football Championship and Cork Senior Hurling Championship as well as the two main third-level competitions namely the Sigerson Cup in football and the Fitzgibbon Cup in hurling...
. The club later represented Cork in the provincial club series and even reached the final. A 3-12 to 2-3 defeat of Waterford's Mount Sion gave Maher a coveted Munster
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
club winners' medal.
After St. Finbarr's lost the 1967 county final to Glen Rovers
Glen Rovers GAA
Glen Rovers is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Ballyvolane and Blackpool areas of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1916 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-Colours:...
, the club bounced back to reach the championship decider again the following year. A remarkable 5-9 to 1-19 defeat of divisional side Imokilly
Imokilly GAA
Imokilly GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division in the east of Cork, Ireland. The division includes towns such as Midleton, Cobh, and Youghal. It is one of eight divisions of Cork County Board. It organizes competitions for the clubs within the division, from Under 12 up to the adult level...
gave Maher a second county championship title.
After an absence of six years St. Finbarr’s were back at the top of the local hurling world again in 1974 following a defeat of Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
. It was Maher's third county championship title. Once again the 'Barr’s' were the Cork representatives in the provincial club championship and reached the final. Newmarket-on-Fergus were the opponents on that occasion; however, the game was a poor one. A 0-7 to 0-3 victory gave Maher his second Munster club title. The subsequent All-Ireland club final on St. Patrick’s weekend saw St. Finbarr’s take on the Fenians of Kilkenny. St. Finbarr’s ability to get goals at crucial times proved to be the difference in the 3-8 to 1-6 victory. It was Maher's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
club title.
In 1977 Maher collected a fourth county championship title following a victory over north side rivals and reigning champions Glen Rovers
Glen Rovers GAA
Glen Rovers is a Cork-based Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Ballyvolane and Blackpool areas of Cork city, Ireland. The club was founded in 1916 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-Colours:...
. Once again St. Finbarr’s reached the Munster club final where Clare champions Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge GAA
Sixmilebridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Sixmilebridge, County Clare, Ireland.-History:Sixmilebridge Hurling Club was founded in 1904. The first recorded matches were at Junior hurling and football level against Newmarket on Fergus with the hurlers winning and the footballers losing...
provided the opposition. An interesting game developed, however, St. Finbarr's were the easy winners by 2-8 to 0-6. It was Maher's third Munster club medal. He later lined out in the subsequent All-Ireland club final. Rathnure
Rathnure GAA
Rathnure St. Anne’s is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Rathnure, County Wexford, Ireland. Rathnure's most famous players are the Rackards and Quigley brothers.-First AGM:...
, the Wexford and Leinster champs, were the opponents. The first-half was a disaster for St. Finbarr’s as a gale-force wind resulted in the Cork side trailing by 0-8 to 0-1. The second thirty minutes saw St. Finbarr's take control with Jimmy Barry-Murphy
Jimmy Barry-Murphy
James "Jimmy" Barry-Murphy is a former Irish hurler, Gaelic footballer and association footballer and is the current manager of the Cork senior hurling team...
scoring the deciding goal. A 2-7 to 0-9 victory gave Maher a second All-Ireland club winners' medal.
In 1980 Maher was in the autumn of his club hurling career. In spite of this he secured a fifth county title following a two-point win over Glen Rovers. A fourth Munster club winners' medal quickly followed after a 2-12 to 1-14 defeat of Roscrea
Roscrea GAA
Roscrea GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club is located in the town of Roscrea in North County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland. The club's ground ground shares its name with St. Cronan's BNS in Bray, Co. Wicklow. The club's colours are red and white and they play at Páirc Naomh Cronáin Roscrea...
. The subsequent All-Ireland final pitted Maher's St. Finbarr's side against Ballyhale Shamrocks
Ballyhale Shamrocks GAA
Ballyhale Shamrocks is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballyhale in County Kilkenny, Ireland. The club was founded in 1972 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling...
. Maher's side were beaten on that occasion. Shortly afterwards he brought the curtain down on his club hurling career.
In retirement from the game Maher's service to the St. Finbarr's club has been described as exceptional. He became chairman of the club during a very successful period between 1987 and 1996. He later served as secretary of the club.
Inter-county
Maher's talent was spotted at an early age and in 1963 he wore a Cork jersey for the first time when he played on the minor team. Two years later in 1965 Maher won his first Cork Senior Hurling ChampionshipCork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
medal with "the Barr's." At inter-county level he progressed onto the under-21 side and won an All-Ireland Under-21
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
medal in 1966. A second Cork County Championship medal followed in 1968, the same year he made his debut for the Cork senior hurling team in the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
.
In 1969 Maher won his very first NHL medal, before later claiming his first Munster Championship
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
medal. However, Cork lost to Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
in the All-Ireland final. Cork were back in 1970, with Maher winning his second NHL and Munster titles, as well as his only senior All-Ireland medal
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
. In 1971 Maher's hurling skills were honoured when he was an All-Star Award
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
-winner. In turn, he got the honour of becoming Cork's first ever all-star winner . His team-mate Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...
was also honoured. Another Munster title followed in 1972, however, Cork were defeated yet again by Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. He also collected his second All-Star award. Another National League title followed in 1974, before Maher claimed a third Cork County Championship medal with St. Finbarr's. This victory allowed Maher to go on and win a Munster club title, before winning his first All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
medal in early 1975. He won his fourth and final Munster title in 1975, bring his senior inter-county career to an end. He continued to play club hurling with St. Finbarr's, winning two more County Championships in 1977 and 1980, and an All-Ireland club title in 1978. His last game for St. Finbarr's was the 1981 All-Ireland club final, which they lost.